Although the calendar says that summer doesn't start until June 21st, everyone else knows that once Memorial Day passes, it's time for fun! However, if you want your Windows XP or Windows Vista PC to keep up with summertime hobbies (and help you get your work done after you get back from vacation), take a few minutes to make sure you get the latest patches.

Windows XP SP3's First Update

Windows XP SP3 has already caused its share of grief for installers, and now there's a brand-new problem:

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  • Your system might not be able to resolve DNS after you connect/disconnect or disable/enable a network adapter used for Internet Connection Sharing on a system running XP SP3.

To learn more about the problem and to download the fix, check out KB951830.

A Platoon of Patches for Windows Vista

Windows Vista users have plenty of patches to consider before running off on vacation. They include:

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  • A fix for SATA hard disks running in PATA mode if the system stops responding (KB943170)
  • A fix for applications using Microsoft Jet 4.0 Database Engine after the system is updated to Vista SP1 (KB943509)
  • A fix for Vista SP1's inability to write to a Blu-Ray Disc Rewritable or write-protected DVD-RAM disc after disabling the disc's write-protection (KB950194)
  • Also, the May 2008 Application Compatibility Update for Windows Vista (originally announced in early April) is finally showing up in Windows Update (KB947652). It can also be downloaded manually.

Have fun this summer!